- AN INTRODUCTION TO OPERATING SYSTEMS
Application software performs specific task for the user. System software operates and controls the computer system and provides a platform to run application software.
An operating system is a piece of software that manages all the resources of a computer system,both hardware and software, and provides an environment in which the user can execute his/her programs in a convenient and efficient manner by hiding underlying complexity of the hardware and acting as a resource manager.
Why OS?
1. What if there is no OS?
a. Bulky and complex app. (Hardware interaction code must be in app’s code base)
b. Resource exploitation by 1 App.
c. No memory protection.
2. What is an OS made up of?
a. Collection of system software.
An operating system function -
- Access to the computer hardware.
- interface between the user and the computer hardware
- Resource management (Aka, Arbitration) (memory, device, file, security, process etc)
- Hides the underlying complexity of the hardware. (Aka, Abstraction)
- facilitates execution of application programs by providing isolation and protection.
ex,
The operating system provides the means for proper use of the resources in the operation of the computer system.
